Patience...

I like photos like this. It captures everything. The end of a long day... just playing on the bed, watching this little guy crawl from side to side, teeter on the edge, then crawl back to you and grab your face, or slobber on your chin, and play curiously with your necklace with his chubby little fingers.

This is life with Arthur Bear now that he has discovered the world of movement and the freedom that comes with it.

With this new skill comes new challenges... like settling to sleep (literally just changed overnight!)... but we'll get there. Like every other stage, it takes patience, understanding and time. Sometimes my patience is tested and I have to remind myself of his innocence and excitement and then sort of sit back, relax and embrace it... watching him drop food on the floor, or roll away mid nappy change to grab a toy.

I'll often just give up whatever I was trying to achieve and grab the camera. It forces me to sit back and watch him explore the world around him. When I start pressing that shutter button, I feel that irritation subside, and I begin to enjoy and appreciate his development. This is often when I capture my favourite shots of him. It's easy to get frustrated and over it when you're in a rush to go somewhere or do something. I find myself often just giving up, sitting back and letting him do whatever it was he was trying to do. It's way easier... is this bad parenting?

I still have several moments each day where I actually say in my stern mummy voice "Ok Arthur Bear, enough! Look at mummy!! STAY STILL!!, get this breakfast in your gob, we gotta GO! STOP these games now!"

Sometimes he stops, tilts his head and smiles at me. I die a little. How can I be mad at this little person.